Package



[72] Inventors Larry S. l'lewlett Phoenixvllle; Eugene J. Meierhoefer, Chester, Pennsylvania [21] Appl. No. 766,214 [22] Filed Oct. 9, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 24, 1970 [73] Assignee American Home Products Corporation New York, New York I a corporation of Delaware r [54] PACKAGE 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[5 2] US. Cl. 206/65, 206/56 229/51 [51 1 Int. Cl. B65d -7 1/00, 865d 83/00 [50] Field of Search 229/40, Div 51: 206/65, 56, 45.33

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,047,140 7/1962 Robins 206/45.33X

3,144,130 8/1964 Copping 206/65(S) 3,300,041 1/1967 Fuller 206/65(C) 3,388,788 6/1968 Hellem 206/4533 Primary Examiner- David M. Bockenek Attorney-Joseph Martin Weigman ABSTRACT: The invention is directed to a multiple unit package of easily separable unit doses of medicaments. The package is made up of a plurality of unit dose containers, a relatively rigid, shallow tray covering the closure ends of the containers and coextensive with them, and a rupturable overwrap of shrinkable plastic enclosing the unit dose containers and the tray and forming them into a unitary mass. The tray 1 has perforations through it at the edges of each of the unit Patented Nov.24,1970 3,542,193

Sheet 1 012 Pat nted' Nov. 24, 1970 3,542,193

Sheet g of2 PACKAGE The present invention is directed to a package and more particularly it is directed to a package for containing a plurality of unit dose containers held together as a unitized mass. The package permits the separation of one or more of the unit dose containers from the remainder of the mass without disturbing the cohesion of either the remainder of the mass or of the containers removed.

Where the term,medicament is used herein, it is to be-understood that the invention applies to nutrients and any other product packaged in relatively small containers. The term funit dose containers" is used to describe the receptacles usually employed to package .medicaments and other chemical materials, compounds and compositions and includes bottles, vials, ampules, disposable cartridges and the like.

While the packaging of medicaments in unit dose form has proven to be of significant value to the user, e.g., pharmacies.

especially hospital pharmacies, it has become evident that several problems or annoyances have been created. In the current styleintermediate container, or packer, as is offered by many manufacturers a multitude of loose unit dose containers are nested together. To fulfill a request for several containers to a patient or customer the'dispensor removes unit dose containers from the packer, places them loose into another smaller accumulating means, labels this new accumulator and dispatches the order. Meanwhile, the packer from which the order was filled remains in storage occupying just as much shelf space as formerly. The process is repeated as orders are dispatched and conceivably four or five remaining unit dose containers could occupy the same amount of storage space inremain with the dose until the last dose is used, if loose containers are accumulated in a'second loose accumulator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved package and method of packaging relatively small containers and the like so that the remaining containers are held together as an integral unit when one container is removed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an easy-toopen multiple'unit package for convenient, safe issuance'of unit dose medicaments, which accumulation provides adequate labeling identity and product protection for the contents.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a quantity of unit dose containers to package in accumulating means that when dispensing a single dose from the mass, the dose is easily broken away, but remaining doses remain intact as an integral unit whichoccupies'less storage space than the mass before removal of the doses.

It is another object 'of the present invention to provide an improved intermediate container for a number of multiple unit packages so that asingle multiple unit package is easily removed but the remaining multiple unit packages remain .as

an integral uriit which occupies less space than before removal ofthe multiple unit package.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a surface on a multiple unit package for placement of a patient'identification label which remains in place until the last unit dose is dispensed.

It is another object of this invention to provide amethod and package for eliminating the need of repackaging prepackaged medicaments which package retains its integrity as one or more unit doses are removed from it.

Other and further objects of the present invention wilIbe apparent to those skilled inthe art by consideration of'the following description taken in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a multiple unit package ofthe'present invention;

' ofFlG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the package of FIG. 1 showing a single unit dose bottle being removed from the mass; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional'view taken generally along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.

The objects of the present invention may be accomplished in a multiple unit package which is made up of easily separable unit dose containers containing unit doses of a medicament, a shallow tray covering the closure ends of the unit dose con tainers and being coextensive with the unit dose containers, and a rupturable overwrap covering the unit dose containers and the tray. The tray has perforations in about the same plane as adjoining surfaces of contiguous unit dose containers. The overwrap has a slight slit at the surfaces of the unit dose containers opposite the tray perforations. If desired the tray may be at the bottom rather than the top of the unit dose containers. 7

While the invention is applicable to any type or shape of container, best results are obtained with a container that has sides at substantially right angles to either the bottom or the closure end. Especially advantageous results have been obtained where the closure is slightly smaller than the width of the receptacle'so that when the tray is applied it extends just outside-the thickest point of the bottle and engages the side of the receptacle at its upper surface and widest points. One advantage of the latter configuration is that it tends to eliminate the tendency, when a number of trays are placed side by side, to form anarc or curved structure, when pressed together. The invention is particularly applicable to containers which are relatively short in height, about 4 inches or less, and rela- 'tively light, about 1 pound or less in weight. Particularly advantageous results have been obtained with containers which are relatively wide compared with their height, such as those having about a l to l to 3 to l height-to-width ratio.

' The overwrap may be any flexible wrapping material. However, the preferred material is one that forms a tight wrap so as to immobilize the containers and maintain the opening slits in proper location relative to the unit dose containers and the tray perforations-Most advantageous results have been obtained with shrink film. A shrink film is a plastic sheet, typi cally polyvinylchloride, 3 mils or less thick, which reduces in at least one linear dimension a minimum of 20 percent when subjected to heat,'which exerts a shrink tension of pounds per square inch or more and which can be readily sealed by the application of heat, pressure or solvent. The preferred shrinkfilms are those which shrink biaxially and have only a moderate internal tear resistance.

As is shown in FIG. 1 a multiple unit package 10 is made up of a plurality of unit dose containers 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D,

1 2E, a shallow, relatively rigid tray 14, and an overwrap 16.

As is best seen in FIG. 5 the preferred unit dose container 12C is made up of a receptacle 18, which contains a medicament l9, and has a closure 20; The sides 22 of the receptacle are at substantially right angles to the base 24 of the receptacle and the top surface 26 of the closure 20. The bottom corners 28 of the receptacle 18 are slightly rounded. The containers l2Al2E have labels 29 affixed to each of them.

The tray 14 has a central portion 30, side portions 32, 34 and end portions'36, 38 (FIG. 4). The tray has perforations 40, 42, 44, 46 opposite the abutting surfaces of containers 12A12E as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The overwrap 16 surrounds the unit containers 12A-l2E. and a tray 14 and has slits 48, 5t), 52, 54 opposite the sites of rupture, or perforations 40 42, 44, 46 respectively. The overwrap 16 forms wrap-arounds 56 against the containers 12A- 12E adjacent the slits 48, 50,52, 54.

One or more of the unit containers may'be separated from the multiple unit package 10 as is shown in FIG. 4. There, mechanical pressure has been applied to force the container 12E apart from the container 12D thus rupturing the overwrap 16, starting from the slit 54. Also the tray 14 has been torn along the perforations 46. The container 12E may now be separated from containers 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D. When separated the overwrap 16 remains surrounding the container 12E and the remaining containers due to the wrap-around 56 at each of the corners. The segments of tray 14 are also retained in position. Each of the multiple unit packages 10 has a patient label 27 affixed to the outside of the package adjacent the last-to-be-consumed dose container. The patient label 27 remains to identify the patient for whom the medicament is prescribed until the consumption of the dose contained in the last container, and the unit dose containers may remain connected as a group until the last dose is separated.

In FIG. 2 is shown an intermediate'container, or packer, 60 for a number of multiple unit packages 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F. The multiple unit packages are covered at one end, preferably the tray end, with a tray 62 having perforations 64, 66, 68, 70, 72. The tray and packages are held together by an outerwrap 74 having slits 76, between the packages and opposite the tray 62, as shown in the drawings. The outerwrap 74 may be of any suitable material capable of performing the use described, but preferably is a shrink film, as defined above. A label 86 is applied to the outerwrap 74 and preferably is applied so as to be visible on two sides 88, 90 of the intermediate container 60. Preferably the label 86 is placed between the tray 62 and the outerwrap 74. If desired, other labeling may be applied to sides 92, 94.

To remove one or more multiple unit packages lA, l0B, C, 10D, 10E, 10F from the intermediate container 60, mechanical pressure is applied to force the multiple unit packages apart, causing the cut at the appropriate of the features shown and described or portions thereof, 76, 78, 80, 82 or 84 to propagate and rupture the outerwrap 74. The tray 62 may be torn along the appropriate perforation 64, 66, 68, 70 or 72, freeing the desired number of multiple unit packages but holding the remaining packages together as a unit.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

We claim: 1. A multiple unit package of easily separable containers comprising:

78, 80, 82, 84 defined in it,

A. A plurality of containers abutting one another and arranged in a row; I B. A shallow tray covering one of theends of said containers and being coextensive with said row; 1. Perforations in said tray lying substantially in a plane with container abutting surfaces; and

C. An overwrap covering said containers and said tray;

1. Slits in said overwrap at container surfaces opposite said perforations; and

2. A wrap-around of said overwrap engaging a portion of said container surfaces adjacent said slits.

2. A self-consuming multiple unit package for medicaments, nutrients,and the like,comprising:

A. A plurality of containers arranged in a single row in abutting relationship;

B. A tray disposed over the closure ends of said containers;

I. Said tray having laterally extending perforations substantially in each plane coinciding with the plane of abutment of abutting containers; C. An overwrap surrounding said containers and said tray; D. A site of tear propagation defined in said overwrap substantially in each of said planes of abutment.

3. A package as defined in claim 2 wherein said overwrap is comprised of shrink film and said sites of tear propagation are slits in said film.

4. A package as defined in claim 3 wherein said shrink film wraps around said containersadjacent said slits.

5. A package as defined in claim 2 further comprising a label affixed to said package adjacent the last-to-be-consumed unit dose and identifying the patient for whom the medicament is intended.

6. An intermediate container for a multiple unit package of easily separable containers comprising:

A. A plurality of multiple unit packages disposed abutting each other; B. A tray surrounding one end of said packages and retaining them in abutting relation; 1. Perforations defined in said tray in planes through abutting surfaces of said multiple unit packages; C. A label applied to said tray and extending around at least two surfaces of said tray; and D. A shrink film outerwrap surrounding said tray and said packages and having at least one slit defined in said outerwrap opposite each of said perforations in said tray. 

